Thread cutter and holder



1956 G. B. JOHNSON 2,757,451

THREAD CUTTER AND HOLDER Filed Aug. 17, 1954 INVENTOR ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent() THREAD CUTTER AND HOLDER Gustav B. Johnson, NewtonFalls, Ohio Application August 17, 1954, Serial No. 450,311

1 Claim. (Cl. 30-126) This invention relates to a thread cutter andholder for detachable assembly to a spool of thread.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a threadcutting and holding device which may be secured on a spool of thread andacts to cut and hold the end of the thread on the spool.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a thread cutterand holder having a cylindrical extension engageable with the axialopening. in a spool of thread.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a threadcutter and holder having a section of resilient material for receivingand holding needles.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a threadcutter and holder of simple and inexpensive design and attractiveappearance.

The thread cutter and holder disclosed herein comprises a combinationcutting and holding device adapted to be secured to a spool of thread sothat the free end of the thread on the spool may be passed through anappropriate portion of the thread cutting and holding device and cut,and the free end subsequently held by the device until manually removedtherefrom.

The operative portions of the thread cutting and holding device are soarranged that they initially cut the thread and then secure the end ofthe thread remaining on the spool so that the same is prevented fromaccidentally becoming unwound from the spool and is always readilyavailable for subsequent use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being the intention to cover all changes andmodifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposesof the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spiritand scope of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the thread cutting and holding devicewith broken lines indicating a spool of thread and an alternate positionof the cutter of the thread cutting and holding device.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the thread cutting and holdingdevice taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1. Broken lines indicate the spool ofthread and the free end of the thread therefrom.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed vertical section in cross section takenon line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the cutter used in the thread cuttterand holder.

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 55 of Figure 4.

By referring to the drawing and Figures 1 and 2 in particular it will beseen that a broken line representation of a spool of thread S isillustrated with a longitudinally split cylindrical member positioned inthe axial opening of the spool of thread S. The longitudinally splitcylindrical member 10 is normally of slightly greater outer diameterthan the inner diameter of the axial opening in the spool ofthread S sothat it is retained therein by a frictional contact until manuallyremoved there from.

The longitudinal split in the cylindrical member it) is indicated by thenumeral 11 and the uppermost end of the longitudinally split cylindricalmember 10 is formed with a semi-annular angularly positioned collar 12having a sidewardly extending elongated section 13 integrally formedtherewith and extending outwardly beyond the side of the spool of threadS and bent backwardly upon itself .as best shown in Figure 2 of thedrawings, The backwardly bent-portion is indicated by the numeral 14 andforms a horizontal chamber 15 in which a cutter 16 is pivotally mountedby means of a rivet 1'7.

Enlarged and cross sectional details of the cutter 16 may be seen inFigures 3 and 4 of the drawings and by referring thereto it will beobserved that the cutter 16 includes oppositely disposed arms 1818 and acentrally positioned knife 19. The knife 19 extends sidewardly from thepivot area of the cutter 16 and its opposite sides are tapereddownwardly and inwardly as at 20--20.

Figure 5 of the drawings illustrates in enlarged cross sectionalelevation the conformation of the knife 19. It will thus be seen thatthe cutter 16 is positioned in the extension 13 and within thehorizontal chamber 15 formed by the doubled end section of the extension13.

By referring again to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings it will beobserved that the doubled end portion of the extension 13 is slottedinwardly from the outer end there of, the slot being indicated by thenumeral 21 and forming a semi-V shape when viewed in top plan view as inFigure 1 of the drawings with an enlarged semi-annular inner openingadjacent the rivet 17 which pivots the cutter 16 in the device.

The inner end of the slot 21 is in a position in which the knife 19 willpass when the arms 18 of the cutter 16 are moved, as also illustrated inFigure 1 of the drawings in broken lines.

By referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings it will be seen that whenthe cutter 16 is in the position shown in broken lines, the end of thethread on the spool S may be manually positioned therein, as shown inFigure 2 of the drawings, and the cutter 16 then moved to the positionshown in solid lines in Figure 1 with the resulting action that theknife 19 cuts the thread and then holds the end thereof leading to thespool S by reason of the action of the tapered sides 20 thereof wedgingthe end of the thread against the inturned portion 14 of the extension13, as best shown in enlarged cross sectional detail in Figure 3 of thedrawings.

It will thus be seen that the thread, indicated by the letter T, issecured against accidental unwinding from the spool S and it can beremoved from secured position when a further length of thread is to beremoved from the spool and the operation repeated.

It will thus be seen that the device functions to keep the spool ofthread in neat and orderly fashion, that the end of the thread on thespool is conveniently held for subsequent use and that it may be readilygrasped by the fingers of the user, disengaged from the device and repositioned in the slot 21 and a subsequent section cut therefrom withthe resulting action that the end of the thread remaining on the spoolis again held by the device.

By referring now to Figure 2 of the drawings it will be seen that thelower central portion of the split cylindrical member 10 of the deviceis provided with a resilient body member 22, for example rubber, whichis self-retaining inthe position illustrated and which acts to holdneedles,

such as those indicated inbrokenlines andindicated by the letter N, inconvenient and protected position in the device.

It will thus be seen that the thread cutting and holding devicedisclosed herein meets the several objects of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

A thread cutting and holding device for attachment I to a spool ofthread comprising a cylindrical member jection on said flat memberhaving oppositely disposed knife like edges movable across said slot insaid horizontal chamber, oppositely disposed arms on said flat memberextending outwardly beyond the sides of said extension and said knifelike edges'being tapered so that the same act first to cut the threadpositioned in said slot and secondly to hold the thread by Wedgingaction between said projection and said extension.

References Cited in the fil'e of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS601,943 Burke Apr. 5, 1898 649,180 Robinson May 8, 1900 1,178,798Grasselly Apr. 11, 1916 2,058,536 Waseen Oct. 27, 1936 2,195,316 Maricket al. Mar. 26, 1940 2,223,248 Frisk et al. Nov. 26, 1940

